Hay-stacker.



No. 718,879. 7 EATHMTED JAN. 20, 1903. 0. B. RHOADS & 0. DB'GKERT.

HAY .STAGKER APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. 1902.

HQ MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHBET 1.

'No. 718,879. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903. a. B. RHOADS & O.'DEGKERT.

HAY STACKER.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 14, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NO MODEL.

CHARLES B. RHOADS AND CHARLES DEOKERT, OF KINMUNDY, ILLINOIS.

HAY-STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,879, dated January 20, 1903.

Application filed February 14, 1902. Serial No. 94,109. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it Hwy concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES B. RHOADS and CHARLES DEOKERT, citizens of the United States, residing at Kinmundy, in the county of Marion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay- Stackers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention appertains to agricultural machinery of the type particularly designed for stacking hay and grain, and has for its object to provide a structure capable of being readily adjusted to the height and size of the stack, so as to throw the bunches or gavels to the center of the stack and insure positive delivery at each operation.

In its organization the machine comprises a lifter, pivoted arms carrying the lifter and comprising sections slidably related to admit of lengthening and shortening the arms, novel adjusting means for shifting the movable sections in each direction and holding them in an adjusted position, adjusting means of peculiar construction for holding the rear portion of the lifter at any desired position, and actuating means cooperatively related to the lifter for elevation thereof and a return of the same to a normal position after delivering the load.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge ofthe details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a stacker embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the lifter elevated to a perpendicular position and the relation of the attendant parts. Fig. 3 is a top view of the lifter and the outer portion of the pivoted arms, the parts being on a larger scale. Fig. 4. is aperspective view of a pivoted arm, showing the sections separated, the. near section having its inner portion broken away. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a clamp for holding the rear portion of thelifter in an adjusted position. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a brace between the rear portion of the lifter and the cooperating stay.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description andindioated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The base of the machine comprises longitudinal sills 1, end cross-bars 2 and 3, and braces 4. The sills 1 constitute runners upon which the machine glides when being moved from one place to another. A standard 5, comprising oppositely-inclined beams, is pivotally connected at its lower end to the sills 1 in any substantial way, and a block and tackle 6 of any approved construction connects the free end of the standard with the cross-bar 2, a run of the rope passing beneath a guide-pulley 7 at one corner of the base and adapted to be connected to the draft-animal or other source of power for operating the stacker.

Arms 8 are pivotally connected at one end to the forward ends of the sills 1 and support the lifter'A at the opposite end. Each of these arms comprises sections 9 and 10, slidably related, so as to admit of the arms being lengthened or shortened according to the height of the stack. A clip 11 is secured to the outer end of each section 9 and receives the section 10, and a corresponding clip 12 is fitted to the inner end of each section 10 and receives the section 9. These clips 11 and 12 hold the sections 9 and 10 together and admit of their sliding movements and constitute stops to prevent outward displacement of the sections 10 should there be a tendency to move the lifter A outward too far. The sections 9 and 10 are positively moved in and out by means of cables or chains 13, which have their inner ends attached to the sections 10 and their outer ends to the cross-bar 23 of the lifter A and a shaft 15, journaled to the sectionsi) near their outer ends and provided with spools 16, around which the cables or chains 13 are wound a number of times, so as to insure longitudinal movement of the sections 10 when rotating the shaft 15. The shaft 15 is adapted to be rotated by means of a crank-handle 17,

fitted to one end, and is held in an adjusted position by means of any suitable detent mechanism, such as the ratchet-wheel l8 and pawl When the pawl 19 is thrown out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 18, the shaft 15 can be rotated in either direction and effects a longitudinal movement of the cables or chains 13 and a corresponding sliding movement of the sections 10, as will be readily appreciated, thereby resulting in a lengthening or a shortening of the arms, as may be required. A cross-bar 20 connects the outer ends of the sections 9 and is in turn suitably connected with the outer end of the standard 5 by means of the part 21, which may be a rope, cable, chain, or rods.

The lifter A resembles a form or rake in its general construction and comprises base and rear portions pivotally and adjustably connected. The base portion consists of a series of teeth 22, connected near their rear endsin any substantial manner, preferably by means of the bar 23, bolted or otherwise secured to the teeth at the point of crossing. The rear part of the lifter is composed of teeth 24, pivotally connected at their lower ends to the rear ends of the teeth 22 and rigidly attached to a cross-bar 14. The pivotal connection of the rear part of the lifter with the base portion admits of angular adjustment, so as to deliver the load upon the stack at any desired point. The cross-bar 23 is rigidly attached to the outer ends of the sections 10 of the pivoted arms, and braces 26 strengthen and stay the same at their outer ends. Longitudinallyslotted braces 27 have loose connection with the cross-bar ll of the back portion of the lifter and have adjustable connection with the braces or stays 26 by means of clamps 25, the stems of which pass through the slots of the braces 27 and receive the clamp-nuts upon their projecting ends. Upon loosening the clamps 25 the rear portion of the lifter A can be turned to any desired angular position with reference to the base portion of the lifter to effect a delivery of the load upon any desired part of the stack. After the rear part of the lifter has been adjusted it is made see cure by retightening the clamps 25.

In the operation of the machine the lifter when thrown forward of a perpendicular line passed through the axis of the pivoted arms is drawn rearward after being relieved of the load by means of a spring 28, attached at one end to the cross-bar 3 and having its other end connected to the lifter by means of a cord or chain 29. This spring 28 is of the retractile type and is placed under tension when the pivoted arms assume a vertical position, said tension being proportionately increased as said arms incline forward from a perpendicular position. When the arms are relieved from the force tending to move them forward at their upper outer ends, the spring 28, regaining itself, draws the arms backward past a perpendicular position, and the combined weight of the arms, the lifter, and the attendant parts returns the lifter to a normal position ready to receive another load preliminary to placing the same upon the stack. When starting the stack, the sections 10 are moved inward, so as to shorten the arms as much as possible, and as the stack grows the arms are gradually lengthened to admit of the hay or grain being thrown upon the top of the stack. It is also necessary to change the angle of the rear portion of the lifter with reference to the base portion of said lifter, and this is accomplished in the manner stated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a stacker, a base, a lifter, actuating means for said lifter, pivoted arms supporting the lifter and composed of slidable sections, a shaft journaled to one of said sections, and a flexible connection having its terminal portions attached to the other section and having its intermediate portion wound about the said shaft, whereby rotation of said shaft will effect a lengthening or a shortening of the arms, substantially as set forth.

2. In a stacker, a base, a lifter, actuating means for said lifter, pivoted arms supporting the lifter and composed of slidable sections, a shaft journaled to one of said sections, spools secured to said shaft to turn therewith, flexible connections wound around said spools and having their extremities connected with the other section of the respective arms, and means cooperating with the shaft to hold it in an adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a base comprising longitudinal sills and end cross-bars, a standard pivoted to the sills intermediate of their ends, a block and tackle between the outer end of said standard and a cross-bar of the base, arms pivoted to the front ends of the sills and comprising slidable sections, a cross-bar connecting the outer ends of the inner sections of the arms and likewise connected to the outer end of the pivoted standard, a shaft and cables for lengthening and shortening the pivoted arms, a carrier attached to the outer sections of the pivoted arms and comprising a pivoted rear portion adapted to be held in any angular position, a retractile spring having one end connected to the opposite cross-bar of the base, and a cord connecting the free end of said spring with the lifter, said spring serving to draw said lifter backward past a perpendicular position after being relieved of the load when thrown forward, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

M. O. HUMPHREYS. 

